Here's the 153rd Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by DJ BartBreak, its called Best of Funk Mix Tape #3, there's some Classic Funk & Dance Tracks on here, Featuring amongst others: Luther Vandross, Alphonse Mouzon, Larry Graham, Cashflow, High Fashion and Glenn Jones.
As I said before, its getting Harder to remember some of My/Our Life back then, I was still Working as a Chef at the Casino, I can recall around late Autumn time in 1984 and the Second Chef "Steve" had been off Work quite a Long Time with some sort of illness!
This I remember, seemed to go on for ages, and the Head Chef "Peter" was Working Longer and more Hours to Cover "Steve"
I recall one Day at Home, getting a Phone Call from Peter, asking me to do more Hours, I agreed to do some but not that many, as by this time my Kids, Nathan and Natalie were around 6 and 4.5 Years Old, Checkout the Photo from around this Period!
This Extra Work went on for a Little while, then one Night, I was asked by Peter to do some Shifts On my Own, when He was Off, this meant being in Charge of the Kitchen and having about 2/3 other Chefs Working under me!
This I did for a While and I got on Great.
So to cut a long Story short, I ended up getting Promoted to "Second Chef" with More Pay and roughly the same Hours, I believe I had to Work an extra Shift during Friday Day Time as well as the usual evening Shifts!
So what Happened to "Steve" I cant remember why he was off Work, but He did end up Leaving, I cant remember if he left on his on accord or if he was Sacked!
But for the first Time in my Life, I had made it to "Second Chef" this also Meant for about 3 Days a Week, when "Peter" was off Work, I was in Charge of the Kitchen!
Now for some Music, Back in March of 1977, Tavares Released their 5th Album on Capitol Records Called "Love Storm"
The Album was Produced by Freddie Perren, and it Contained 3 Successful Single Releases, all reaching The Top 25 in the US Single Charts.
But the Best Track on the Album in my Opinion was the 4th Single Release, and this was the Least Successful Track, it did not even reach Top 50 US Singles!
This is a Great Track and one of Tavares Best Ever Tracks!
Apparently this was going to be a Duet with Butch and Tiny on Vocals, but Freda Payne was in the Adjoining Recording Studio, and Suggested Her and Chubby did a Duet! The rest as they say is History!
Working on the Rigs was a bit of an Eye Opener (for somebody who had been used to their Home Comforts and Dry Land) I remember one Incident that Happened during either My First or Second Trip!
I used to Cook all the Meals for about 25 Blokes at any one time, so I had to (obviously) get most Foodstuffs ready in advance.
So I got a Maintenance Man to put a Big Padlock on the Food Chiller/Fridge Door, as I had been told by the Previous Chef, that the Contractors I was looking after, were a Bunch of Animals!
So one day, I thought I would Cook about 6 Ducks for the next day and cook them Duck "A La Orange" for Dinner, after these were Cooked and Cooled off, they were put in the Chiller overnight (with the door Locked of course)!
The Kitchen area was left Unlocked at Night Times, for the Workers to get a Snack or Drink, I also used to leave a Tray of items in the Fridge, which were always Eaten by the next day!
Next Morning I went to Work, I could not believe what I saw, I put the Kitchen Lights on and there in front of me was the Big Chiller in the corner with both Doors hanging off!
Someone had been in the Kitchen during the Night before and took my Big Meat Cleaver out of the drawer and smashed off the Lock and both of the Fridge Doors, to get to the Food inside!
The 6 Cooked Ducks were all Half Eaten and all the Bones etc were thrown back into the Fridge, the previous Chef was right, these contractors were a bunch of Animals!
Of course Nobody ever owned up to Breaking into the Fridge or Eating the Ducks, but what did Happen was I Never Locked the Fridge at Night Times Anymore, nor did I ever leave them any more Treats (when I was off Duty) and I never Cooked anything in Advance again, everything was Cooked and Served on the Day, and all Meals were Quick and Simple to Prepare (nothing to elaborate)!
That was a Great Track, I remember this being played on the radio, the Year before I left School, it was taken from the Album of the same name, it turned out to be Johnny Bristol's Best Chart Placing Single and Album Ever!
The Single Charted in the US Pop Chart at Number 8, in the US R&B Chart at Number 2 and in the UK Pop Chart, it got to Number 3, the Albums Highest Placing was Number 7 in the US R&B Chart.
Johnny Bristol Re-recorded the Song in 1990 for Ian Levine's Record Label, have a look on the Page for a In- Depth Bio. incidentally, where the Video was Filmed, was in my Home Town!
Johnny Bristol had a Great Voice, I'm Surprised He never Recorded more Albums than he did, only 6.
6 more Great Albums from '77, all of which I purchased on Vinyl, some of which I have since sold and some are for sale on my Website.
I had 2 periods where I sold some of my Vinyl and Tapes (including Albums, 12" and 7" singles), I also sold quite a few Music Magazines including Blues and Soul Mags, The Street Mags and Black Echoes Papers, the first time was around 1990 and the Second Period was about 3 years ago on Ebay, I had a Shop on Ebay, but after paying them too much money, decided to get myself a Website, which is going well!
The reasons why I decided to sell my Record Collection were, in the early '90's we were going to try and get a Mortgage to buy a House, so all monies would come in handy, I can remember thinking about Selling for ages, before finally saying "YES" and for the last couple of Years, I now have plenty of Soul Music on CD, mp3 and of course the PC. So I thought others could benefit from all the Great Music I have Purchased!
I also think CD's are Superior to Vinyl, but there are plenty of People who think VINYL is the BEST!
I have sold my Music All around the World including all of Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and Japan.
I think at one time including all Vinyl Formats and Tapes I had about 3000 items, the first selling period, everything I sold I put on Tape first, and this time I have most of them burned to CD.
But of course I still buy CD's most of the time! you get some Great bargains online! and not to mention mp3 Downloads!
The following Sunday soon arrived, and I was working the Late Shift as usual with the Second Chef, After we finished Work, I put his Bike in the back of my Car, and drove the 1 Mile to his House!
I remember being Very Nervous, it was like a Blind Date really, all I had ever seen of my Second Chef's Sister in Law, was a very small Black and White Photograph!
I remember thinking "she looked, a bit of alright" We did'nt talk that much, it seemed it was other two were doing all the talking and not me or the Girl sitting in the Chair in the Corner! who's Name turned out to be "Susan"
Any way after about an Hour, I asked her, if she wanted me to walk her Home, she lived about 5 minutes away, she said "Yes" so I started to walk her Home!
We had to pass my Car on the way Home, so I asked Her if she wanted to go for a Ride! so we ended up not far from where I lived, the Strange thing about all of this was, we were about the same Age, knew all the same People in our Town, but had never seen each other before! Me and my family also knew her Older Brother, he had been in my House, plenty of times before, and he also lived in the Next Street to us.
Anyway to cut a long Story short, we ended up Talking for Ages in my Car, and she was Late Home, she Had a Very Strict Father, which I did'nt know at that Time!
By the time I got her Home, Her Father and my Second Chef were out looking for us, around the Streets of our part of Town!
Needless to say, this turned out to be the last time I saw "Susan" for about 2/3 Months!
Some Great Soul Albums out around this time, what I Purchased were:
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